Planning for Windows 98 on NetWare Networks

When planning for Windows 98 on NetWare networks, you will need to consider the following issues:

• The network client you will use.
• The protocols you will use.

Choosing the Network Client

Windows 98 runs on workstations that can connect to Novell NetWare versions 3.x, and 4.x servers. You can use several different networking clients:

• The 32-bit, protected-mode Microsoft Client for NetWare Networks.

  If you use Microsoft Client for NetWare Networks, you can also use the optional Microsoft Service for NetWare Directory Services. This service provides tight integration with Novell Directory Services (NDS).

• Novell Client for Windows 95/98 (also known as Client 32), a 32-bit, protected-mode client.
• NETX, the real-mode networking client for servers running NetWare version 3.x and later
• VLM, the real-mode networking client for servers running NetWare version 4.x.

Note

Microsoft does not support connecting to servers running versions of NetWare earlier than NetWare 3.11. Microsoft also does not support using Novell Client for DOS/Windows 3.x. When using Novell Client for Windows 95/98, Microsoft recommends using version 2.2 or later with updated versions of Vmlid.nlm and Odiload.vxd, which you obtain from Novell.

You should use a protected-mode client rather than a real-mode client. Protected-mode clients offer the following benefits:

• Provide easy installation and configuration using built-in Windows 98 tools.
• Use no real-mode memory.
• Provide faster data I/O across the network than do real-mode clients.
• Offer greater stability than do real-mode clients.
• Enable you to run additional protected-mode clients.

The following sections describe the issues you will need to consider before choosing each client.

Note

For computers that use Microsoft Client for NetWare Networks, all the files required for networking are included with Windows 98. However, you will need some Novell-supplied files in order to run NetWare utilities. Additionally, Windows 98 does not include any Novell-supplied components required for Novell clients. For information about obtaining updates for Novell-supplied files, see "Obtaining Current Novell-Supplied Files" later in this chapter.

For information about configuring Novell-supplied components and running NetWare utilities, consult your Novell documentation. For information about licensing requirements, see your Novell NetWare license agreement.

Issues with Microsoft-supplied NetWare Clients

You might choose not to use Client for NetWare Networks in the following cases:

• If you want to use Novell-supplied utilities, such as Novell Application Launcher, Novell IP Gateway, Remote Access Dialer, and NetWare Distributed Print Services, you should use Novell Client for Windows 95/98.
• If you want to take advantage of NetWare NCP packet signature for enhanced protection of servers and client computers using NCP, you must use Novell Client for Windows 95/98 or VLM, because Client for NetWare Networks does not support this feature.
• If your site needs to use NetWare Internet Protocol (IP), you should use Novell Client for Windows 95/98, the NETX client, or the VLM client. Client for NetWare Networks does not support NetWare IP, and you cannot use Microsoft TCP/IP to communicate with NetWare servers using NetWare IP.
• If you use 3270 emulators that rely on MS-DOS-helper terminate-and-stay-resident (TSR) programs or need 3270 emulation for applications in MS-DOS sessions, you should use NETX or VLM.
• If you are using custom VLM components, such as PNW, you should use VLM.
• If you have problems with programs that make proprietary or undocumented API calls, you should use a Novell-supplied client.

Issues with Novell-supplied NetWare Clients

If you are using a Novell-supplied NetWare client, you should use Novell Client for Windows 95/98. It is a 32-bit, protected-mode client that provides access to Novell Directory Services (NDS) and newer Novell-supplied utilities.

You might choose not to use Novell Client for Windows 95/98 and instead use Client for NetWare Networks in the following cases:

• If you have problems with Setup using MsBatch.
• If you want to take advantage of Windows 98 peer resource sharing without running another network client.

Choosing Protocols on NetWare Networks

This section discusses issues you should consider when using the following protocols:

• Microsoft’s 32-bit, protected-mode IPX/SPX-compatible protocol.
• Novell’s 32-bit, protected-mode IPX/SPX-compatible protocol.
• Novell’s real-mode IPX protocol.
• Microsoft’s TCP/IP.
• Novell’s NetWare/IP.

Microsoft provides a 32-bit, protected mode IPX/SPX-compatible protocol that is compliant with network driver interface specification (NDIS) 3.1 and later and with the IPX specification. This protocol can use IPX routers, such as Novell NetWare servers configured as routers to transfer packets across LANs to access resources on other computers running any IPX/SPX protocol. With the Microsoft IPX/SPX-compatible protocol, you do not need to load the Novell-supplied Vipx.386 driver.

Consider the following issues when using Microsoft’s 32-bit, IPX/SPX-compatible protocol:

• You can use this protocol with Client for NetWare Networks and Novell Client for Windows 95/98, but you cannot use it with Novell’s real-mode clients, NETX and VLM.
• The Microsoft IPX/SPX-compatible protocol is installed automatically if you install Client for NetWare Networks. However, if you configure Windows 98 to maintain the existing NetWare client and protocol software instead, you can later try to install the Microsoft IPX/SPX-compatible protocol by following the instructions in Chapter 15, "Network Adapters and Protocols."
• You can install both protected-mode and real-mode IPX drivers on the same adapter with ODI drivers.

Novell provides a 32-bit, IPX/SPX-compatible protocol that works with Novell Client for Windows 95/98. Novell Client for Windows 95/98 does not work with the Novell IPXODI protocol, the 16-bit module for the NETX and VLM clients.

Client for NetWare Networks does not support NetWare IP. Also, Microsoft TCP/IP cannot provide TCP/IP support on NetWare networks. NetWare IP uses other protocol implementations for IP functionality, so the two protocol suites cannot communicate with each other.

Although you cannot use Microsoft TCP/IP as the supporting protocol for Client for NetWare Networks or for Novell-supplied, real-mode networking clients, you can use Microsoft TCP/IP to support Novell Client for Windows 95/98 and other networking clients on the same computer. Use this configuration when TCP/IP-based communications are used on the network.